By Junaid Qaiser
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is entering a defining phase, and Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia is emerging as one of its central pillars. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with the alliance’s Secretary-General, Lieutenant General (retired) Nauman Mahmood, sends a clear message: Pakistan views the security of the Kingdom not merely as a bilateral responsibility but as an essential component of a wider regional security framework.
At a time when attacks on Saudi territory are raising serious concerns about the stability of the Gulf, the Makkah Pact offers an opportunity to transform longstanding defence ties into a more structured system of collective security. Its central principle—that an armed attack against one member constitutes an attack against all—gives the agreement strategic weight. The challenge now is to translate that commitment into effective coordination, credible deterrence and lasting regional stability.
For decades, regional security arrangements have often depended on temporary coalitions, bilateral understandings and external guarantees. The Makkah Pact offers a different approach: a framework through which three influential countries can coordinate their defence policies, strengthen military preparedness and respond collectively to threats against their sovereignty.
The latest developments suggest that this framework is moving beyond diplomatic declarations.
The October 5 emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Riyadh marked an important step towards operationalising the agreement. The decision to prepare agreed military forces and capabilities for rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia demonstrated that the three countries intend to give practical meaning to their collective defence commitments.
The appointment of Lieutenant General (retired) Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary-general is equally significant. His briefing to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on strategies to enhance defence and strategic cooperation reflects the importance of building permanent institutional mechanisms for the alliance, and the statement that Pakistan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Saudi Arabia reflects a longstanding relationship built on trust, defence cooperation and shared strategic interests.
The attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement have made the need for a credible regional security arrangement more urgent. Missile and drone strikes targeting Saudi territory, including civilian areas and critical infrastructure, demonstrate the vulnerability of even well-defended states to persistent asymmetric threats.
The reported casualties and damage caused by these attacks are deeply concerning. Civilian lives, economic infrastructure and the security of major population centres must never become instruments of regional coercion.
Saudi Arabia has a legitimate right to defend its territory and protect its citizens. Pakistan’s reaffirmation of support for that right is consistent with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that underpin international relations.
The implications extend beyond the Kingdom itself. Saudi Arabia is a major energy producer and a central economic partner for countries across Asia and beyond. Sustained attacks on its oil infrastructure, airports and civilian facilities can undermine investor confidence, disrupt energy markets and intensify uncertainty across the Gulf.
For Pakistan, the stakes are particularly high. Its economic relationship with Saudi Arabia, the welfare of millions of Pakistani workers in the Kingdom and its dependence on stable regional energy supplies make Saudi security a matter of direct national interest.
Instability in the Gulf would carry consequences for Pakistan’s economy, from energy costs and remittances to trade and investment. Supporting the Kingdom’s security is therefore not simply an expression of brotherhood; it is also a strategic investment in Pakistan’s own stability.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a relationship that extends across defence, diplomacy, economic cooperation and people-to-people connections. The presence of Islam’s two holiest sites in Saudi Arabia gives this partnership an additional religious and emotional dimension for the Pakistani people.
The Makkah Pact provides an opportunity to bring these elements together within a defined multilateral framework.
Pakistan possesses considerable military experience, while Türkiye brings substantial defence-industrial capabilities and growing expertise in modern military technologies. Saudi Arabia contributes strategic depth, financial resources and a central position in Gulf security. Properly coordinated, these strengths can create a partnership with capabilities greater than the sum of its individual contributions.
This distinction is especially important amid the widening repercussions of the US-Iran conflict. The involvement of regional armed groups, including the Houthis, creates the risk that local confrontations could develop into a broader crisis affecting multiple countries.
The international community has a clear interest in preventing such an outcome. The security of Saudi Arabia, the protection of civilian infrastructure and the uninterrupted flow of international trade are not concerns limited to the Gulf. They have consequences for the wider global economy.
The Makkah Pact has already crossed an important threshold, moving from a signed agreement towards practical implementation. PM Shehbaz Sharif’s reaffirmation of Pakistan’s commitment, alongside the appointment of the alliance’s first secretary-general, indicates that the process of institutionalisation is gathering momentum.
The message from Islamabad is clear: Pakistan stands with Saudi Arabia.
